Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…

Method

Lightly score the skin of the duck breasts, then generously season with the peppercorns and a sprinkling of salt. Lay the duck breasts, skin-side down, in a non-stick sauté pan, then place over a low heat. Leave the duck for 15 mins to brown and release its fat, then flip over onto the flesh side for 5 mins.

Remove the duck from the pan, then turn up the heat. Add the potatoes to the pan, fry until brown and crisp, then scatter over the parsley and garlic. Scoop out with a slotted spoon onto a plate, then season with salt.

Keep the pan on the heat. Fry the bacon until crisp, then add the cabbage. Cook for 1 min, add a splash of water, then fry for 2 mins, just until the cabbage is wilted. While the cabbage is cooking, whisk any juices from the duck with the vinegar and olive oil. To serve, carve the duck breast into slices. Fan out on large dinner plates, spoon a neat bundle of cabbage on one side, then pile a serving of potatoes on the other. Drizzle over the dressing and serve.

Ads by Google

Comments, questions and tips

Comments (49)

avray19673rd May, 2015

5

I followed the advice of previous commenters and kept the duck warm in the oven whilst I did the potatoes and cabbage. I used white cabbage as savoie is not consistently available here, worked fine, but obviously cooked cabbage as long as necessary. Truly excellent meal.

I loved this recipe, I found that my duck needed a few minutes in the oven before serving as they were quite thick and needed that extra little blast of heat to cook them through properly, after resting for a good 8 minutes or so they were perfectly blushing throughout. A real hit, simple, and looked pretty on the plate.

I loved this recipe, and it looked really pretty even with my limited presentation skills!! I had to put the duck in a low oven for a few minutes as it was slightly too rare for my liking but after resting it was perfectly blushing in the middle and ate so well. I will use this recipe time and time again for a fool-proof main course.

Can't rate for some reason but it's a 4. Would have been a 5 but just didn't look pretty on the plate like the picture! The cabbage went darker as it was cooked after everything else in the same pan. Put the duck in a warm, off oven otherwise would have been stone cold when served. Will def make again as it tasted lovely. Wasn't sure about the balsamic vinegar sauce but it worked. Shame the cabbage looked the way it did as it tasted lovely. I like a nice look on plates for a dinner party and this didn't have that.

This was a big hit for my dinner party. The cabbage was especially delicious. One thing I found was the duck took a lot longer than 20 mins to cook (and I like it quite rare). Will definitely cook again

This is delicious. I used mallard breasts and definitely needed one per person, but half a cabbage is plenty. I agree that there was not enough fat from the duck to sauté the potatoes - I added some olive oil. Timing was perfect for cooking the meat, it was beautifully tender. I boiled the potatoes the day before so they were ready to go, and they sauté better cold anyway.

I've just made this and it was lovely. 1 breast per person is plenty! After 20 mins of cooking the duck was still quite rare so be careful with your 'well done' guests. Not so sure about the cabbage but my boyfriend loved it

This recipe is an absolute smash - and it takes no time to prepare. I use baby whole spuds parboiled and then rolled in duck fat and roasted in a gas 6 oven for 20 minutes.I also pop the duck into the oven for 5 - 8 minutes once I turn it over - much easier - but not one pan anymore!

My only gripe was the garlic. I love cooking with garlic but do not enjoy a pronounced flavour that overpowers other tastes. I had halved the amount of garlic as I was cooking for two and the potatoes were dominated by the taste of garlic. I would be tempted to leave it out.

I don't think this dish is very expensive. I bought two pre packed breasts from Waitrose for Â£8.00 and was lucky enough to find a packet that weighed more than the minimum weight. You only need one breast for two people so I froze one of them for another time. I could not have spent more than Â£6.50 for the entire dish. If I was cooking fish, the fish alone would cost more than this whole meal.

Made this for a 50th birthday dinner party and it was well received by all. I was short of time so cheated slightly and used shop-bought potato rosti but the overall effect was the same and the duck was delicious. Highly recommend for a special occasion.

Pages

Questions (0)

Unsure about the cooking time or want to swap an ingredient? Ask us your questions and we’ll try and help you as soon as possible. Or if you want to offer a solution to another user’s question, feel free to get involved…

Be the first to ask a question about this recipe…

Tips (0)

Got your own twist on this recipe? Or do you have suggestions for possible swaps and additions? We’d love to hear your ideas.

Reader offer: £40 off delicious meals

Reader offer: £10 off + 2 free craft beers

Skills & know how

As well as helping you decide what to cook we can also help you to cook it. From tips on cookery techniques to facts and information about health and nutrition, we’ve a wealth of foodie know how for you to explore.

About BBC Good Food

We’re all about good recipes, and about quality home cooking that everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re looking for some healthy inspiration or learning how to cook a decadent dessert, we’ve trustworthy guidance for all your foodie needs.

Our recipes

All our recipes are tested thoroughly by us to make sure they’re suitable for your kitchen at home. We know many of you are concerned about healthy eating, so we send them to a qualified nutritionist for thorough analysis too.

Follow us

This website is made by BBC Worldwide.

BBC Worldwide is a commercial company that is owned by the BBC (and just the BBC). No money from the licence fee was used to create this page. The profits we make from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes.